Comments on: Danes are the Happiest

By: Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes, and Mustard Cream Sauce « Pink of Perfection

Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes, and Mustard Cream Sauce « Pink of Perfection — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:21:57 +0000

[...] days of February, Sebastian and I threw a Scandinavian-themed dinner party. Ever since I read this this, I’ve been wishing I were born Danish. Perhaps this would mean I were tall, effortlessly [...]

By: Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes, and Mustard Cream « Pink of Perfection

Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes, and Mustard Cream « Pink of Perfection — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:12:26 +0000

By: Hygge House

Hygge House — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:03:04 +0000

Kristine,

I totally see and agree with a lot of what you said and I am guilty of romanticising Danish life (and a lot of other things – I am a Pollyanna that way). Having grown up Danish I understand the challenges of living there, and, going back often and being with my family, I often think I couldn’t live there full-time again (and have shared this on here before). It’s why I’ve been living in America.

My life and my cousins are very different – there are things they envy about me living in America and there’s things I envy about them living there. I dont’ envy the taxes, the cost, sometimes the hierarchy of doing things, the ‘the right to be different but the same’ kind of attitude.

However, I do miss traditions, I do miss the beauty, I do miss a lot of ideas that not only I had when I was younger but that I see my family still having. There is a way that Danes do cope with the winters better than in America, and, having lived in both, prefer hygge over Walmart.

My goal in talking about Denmark and often France (another place I’ve lived and grown up with) is to remind myself of the bits I love and have often forgotten living in America. It’s to take the good from everywhere and piece together a life for myself whether it’s on this side of the water or that.

I know no place is paradise, but there’s nothing wrong with looking for the best and striving for something great – even if one has to romanticise it a little. The blah doesn’t get me through the day. Charm totally does.

By: Kristine

Kristine — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:01:03 +0000

I am a Dane who coincidentally stumbled upon this blog.. And how funny it is, how you picture us Danes, and Denmark
I think some of the things you say are a bit too idyllic, maybe. But to those Americans who think that our country is socialist, just because we have health care, free education and care for the elderly, I say: NO! We have just realized that if every one is to have the same opportunities in life, some things have to be free, like education. Otherwise, only the rich may get to be doctors, lawyers etc, and not the ones who are smartest and best suited for the job. As for care for the elderly, we pay one of the world’s highest taxes (39% of our income, minimum), so that when we grow old, we can have a pension to live off, and so that when we get sick, we are sure to be taken care of. I myself was born with a small handicap, but one that is big enough that no insurance company will ever insure me. Therefore I am happy to live in a country such as Denmark, where I have had the operations necessary to make my life completely normal, and still not be broke. As for education, it is not only free, the government gives young people like myself money to support us in studying, because they know that living costs are high in Denmark, and if you do not have a job, very few people would have enough money to support themselves or their children while they go to university for 5 years.It also means that no one has to live in the street – ever. The ones who do have chosen to do so themselves and they can come to shelters and have free meals, a free sleeping bag and a room to sleep in, if they want. If you do not have a job for some time, the government supports you, and offices help get you in touch with companies who might want to hire you, so that they can have you on probation. That is the good side of our so-called “socialist” country (which really is ruled by a liberal government;)
However, when it comes to being happy, I don’t really get it. A lot of Danes “brokker” = another very Danish word, as in the song “Kom, lad os brokke os” (look it up at YouTube), meaning complaining in a grumpy kind of way.. And, we do dream of big houses and big cars – the difference is, that because of the high taxes and the very high incomes we have, only a very few people can afford a big house or car. Cars are taxed 200% of their price, which is put on top of it, so that a Dane pays 3x the price of a car that a German pays. Houses are really expensive; a new, 200m2 house would cost about 2-4 million Danish kroner (384,500 to 770,000 dollars). That is why we “choose” to live in small houses..

I guess my point is, the picture is not as black and white as you describe it – not as idyllic as the one Mrs. Beauchamp paints, and not as “socialist” as one of the other comments says.
But come to Denmark and see for yourselves:)

By: trina

trina — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:49:40 +0000

this is a great post. thanks for that.